1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a solid bowl centrifuge and more particularly to a sludge dewatering centrifuge with a conical bowl drum.
2. Description of the Related Technology
DE-OS No. 3 301 099 incorporated by reference herein shows a centrifuge where the solids settling on the inner wall of the solid bowl drum and the liquid clear phase are discharged from a conically expanded zone of the solid bowl centrifuge. Baffle plates are attached to the solid bowl drum and an internal rotor, they penetrate the settling slurry phase in the entire radial fill level. The baffle plates agitate the slurry phase by imparting axially and circumferentially directed flow components. These baffle plates simultaneously affect the solid and the liquid phase and cause a mixing effect which acts against the desired separation of the soild and liquid phases. In addition to this swirl produced by the baffle plates, a further disadvantage lies in the relatively high amount of energy required to operate the centrifuge as both phases are thrown radially outward upon their discharge from the solid bowl drum without energy recovering measures.